Route: Ware River Rail Trail (MA)

The Ware River Rail Trail is an unpaved rail bed between Barre and Baldwinville. This route consists of the section from Barre to Rt. 2 in Templeton, which is about 12.8 miles long. There is no direct connection to the Baldwinville section north of Rt. 2. There is a parking area off Rt. 122 in Barre. The route begins at the yellow gate and ends about 3/4 mile north of Rt. 2A in Templeton, where the improved portion of the railbed stops and the snowmobile route makes a sharp left, at the sign saying "Stay on Trail". The terrain is mostly packed dirt and sand, with a few sections of gravel. There is about 360 feet of elevation gain heading northbound, so when doing an out and back from Barre, all the "climbing" is in the first half. The trail is mostly wooded with views of the Ware River along the way. It is very lightly traveled.